Category: Arts and Entertainment

May 14, 2019

by Carla Hay

ABC officially announced its 2019-2020 schedule during the network’s upfront presentation at Lincoln Center’s David Geffen Hall in New York City on May 14, 2019. Most of the existing shows had previously been announced as renewed. However, the upfront presentation made it official that “The Kids Are Alright,” “Splitting Up Together,” “Speechless,” “Child Support,” “The Alec Baldwin Show,” “For the People,” “The Fix,” “Grand Hotel,” “Dancing With the Stars: Junior” and “Whiskey Cavalier” have been cancelled.

New scripted shows include “Mixed-ish,” “Stumptown,” “Emergence,” “United We Fall,” “For Life” and “The Baker and the Beauty.” The network is putting a lot of weight on unscripted programs, since half of its new shows are reality shows and game shows. They include “Card Sharks,” “Don’t,” “Family Food Fight,” “Holey Moley,” “Kids Say the Darndest Things” (a reboot hosted by Tiffany Haddish) and “Press Your Luck.” Some of the stars of the new shows are familiar to TV audiences. They include “Stumptown” stars Cobie Smulders (formerly of “How I Met Your Mother”) and Camryn Manheim (formerly of “The Practice”); “Mixed-ish” co-star Tika Sumpter (“The Haves and the Have-Nots”); “The Baker and the Beauty” co-star Nathalie Kelley (who was previously on the reboot of “Dynasty”); “United We Fall” co-star Jane Curtin (formerly of “Kate & Allie” and “Third Rock From the Sun”); and “Card Sharks” host Joel McHale (formerly of “Community”).

Most of the premiere dates will be announced at a later time. Please note that shows picked up but not listed on the schedule below will debut at other times in the 2019-2020 season. They include new shows “United We Fall,” “For Life,” “The Baker and the Beauty,” “Card Sharks,” “Don’t,” “Family Food Fight,” “Holey Moley,” “Press Your Luck” and renewed shows “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” “America’s Funniest Home Videos,” “American Idol,” “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette.”

The following is an excerpt from an ABC press release:

ABC FALL 2019-2020 SCHEDULE

All times listed are Eastern/Pacific Time.

MONDAY

8-10 p.m. “Dancing with the Stars”
10-11 p.m. “The Good Doctor”

TUESDAY

8-8:30 p.m. “The Conners”
8:30-9 p.m. “Bless This Mess”
9-9:30 p.m. “Mixed-ish”
9:30-10 p.m. “Black-ish”
10-11 p.m. “Emergence”

WEDNESDAY

8-8:30 p.m. “The Goldbergs”
8:30-9 p.m. “Schooled”
9:30-10 p.m. “Modern Family”
9:30-10 p.m. “Single Parents”
10-11 p.m. “Stumptown”

THURSDAY

8-9 P.M. “Grey’s Anatomy”
9-10 P.M. “A Million Little Things”
10-11 P.M. “How to Get Away with Murder”

FRIDAY

8-8:30 p.m. “American Housewife”
8:30-9 p.m. “Fresh Off the Boat”
9-11 p.m. “20/20”

SATURDAY

8 p.m. “Saturday Night Football”

SUNDAY

7-8 p.m. “America’s Funniest Home Videos”
8-9 p.m. “Kids Say the Darndest Things”
9-10 p.m. “Shark Tank”
10-11 p.m. “The Rookie”

NEW DRAMA SERIES

“THE BAKER AND THE BEAUTY”

Daniel Garcia is working in the family bakery and doing everything that his loving Cuban parents and siblings expect him to do. But on a wild Miami night he meets Noa Hamilton, an international superstar and fashion mogul, and his life moves into the spotlight. Will this unlikely couple upend their lives to be together and pull their families into a culture clash?

Dean Georgaris writes and executive produces with Becky Hartman Edwards and director David Frankel. In addition, Keshet’s Avi Nir, Alon Shtruzman, Peter Traugott and Rachel Kaplan are executive producers, along with Assi Azar. Based on a hit Israeli show created by Assi Azar originally for Keshet Broadcasting, the series is produced by Universal Television and ABC Studios in association with Keshet Studios. ABC Studios is a part of Disney Television Studios, a collection of studios comprised of 20th Century Fox Television, ABC Studios and Fox 21 Television Studios.

Cast: Victor Rasuk as Daniel, Nathalie Kelley as Noa Hamilton, Carlos Gómez as Rafael Garcia, Dan Bucatinsky as Lewis, Lisa Vidal as Mari Garcia, David Del Rio as Mateo Garcia, Belissa Escobedo as Natalie and Michelle Veintimilla as Vanessa.

“EMERGENCE”

A character-driven genre thriller, “Emergence” is about a police chief who takes in a young child she finds near the site of a mysterious accident who has no memory of what has happened. The investigation draws her into a conspiracy larger than she ever imagined, and the child’s identity is at the center of it all.

Written and executive produced by Michele Fazekas & Tara Butters, Paul McGuigan directs the pilot and is an executive producer. “Emergence” is produced by ABC Studios. ABC Studios is a part of Disney Television Studios, a collection of studios comprised of 20th Century Fox Television, ABC Studios and Fox 21 Television Studios.

Cast: Allison Tolman as Jo, Alexa Swinton as Piper, Owain Yeoman as Benny, Ashley Aufderheide as Bree, Robert Bailey Jr. as Officer Chris, Zabryna Guevara as Abby with Donald Faison as Alex and Clancy Brown as Ed.

“FOR LIFE”

Inspired by the life of Isaac Wright Jr., “For Life” is a fictional serialized legal and family drama about a prisoner who becomes a lawyer, litigating cases for other inmates while fighting to overturn his own life sentence for a crime he didn’t commit. His quest for freedom is driven by his desperate desire to get back to the family he loves and reclaim the life that was stolen from him. The show will also, through the window of his ferocious struggle and his complicated relationship with a progressive female prison warden, examine the flaws and challenges in our penal and legal systems.

From Hank Steinberg, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson via G-Unit Film & Television, Doug Robinson and Alison Greenspan of Doug Robinson Productions and Isaac Wright Jr. The pilot is directed and executive produced by George Tillman Jr. (“The Hate U Give”). “For Life” is a co-production of Sony Pictures Television Inc. and ABC Studios. ABC Studios is a part of Disney Television Studios, a collection of studios comprised of 20th Century Fox Television, ABC Studios and Fox 21 Television Studios.

Cast: Nicholas Pinnock as Aaron, Indira Varma as Safiya, Joy Bryant as Marie, Glenn Fleshler as Frank, Dorian Missick as Jamal, Tyla Harris as Jasmine with Mary Stuart Masterson as Anya and Boris McGiver as DA Maskins.

“STUMPTOWN”

Based on the “Stumptown” graphic novel series, “Stumptown” follows Dex Parios (Cobie Smulders)—a strong, assertive and sharp-witted army veteran with a complicated love life, gambling debt and a brother to take care of in Portland, Oregon. Her military intelligence skills make her a great PI, but her unapologetic style puts her in the firing line of hardcore criminals and not quite in alliance with the police.

Writer Jason Richman produces the series with Ruben Fleischer and David Bernad (The District), Greg Rucka (author of the “Stumptown” graphic novel series), Matthew Southworth, and Justin Greenwood (illustrators of the “Stumptown” graphic novel series).

James Griffiths is an executive producer and directed the pilot. The series is produced by ABC Studios. ABC Studios is a part of Disney Television Studios, a collection of studios comprised of 20th Century Fox Television, ABC Studios and Fox 21 Television Studios.

Cast: Cobie Smulders as Dex Parios, Tantoo Cardinal as Sue Lynn Blackbird, Cole Sibus as Ansel Parios, Adrian Martinez as Tookie with Camryn Manheim as Lieutenant Cosgrove and Michael Ealy as Detective Miles Hoffman.

NEW COMEDY SERIES

“MIXED-ISH”

In “Mixed-ish,” Rainbow Johnson recounts her experience growing up in a mixed-race family in the ‘80s and the constant dilemmas they had to face over whether to assimilate or stay true to themselves. Bow’s parents Paul and Alicia decide to move from a hippie commune to the suburbs to better provide for their family. As her parents struggle with the challenges of their new life, Bow and her siblings navigate a mainstream school in which they’re perceived as neither black nor white. This family’s experiences illuminate the challenges of finding one’s own identity when the rest of the world can’t decide where you belong.

Peter Saji and Kenya Barris are writers and executive producers along with Tracee Ellis Ross, Randall Winston, Artists First (Brian Dobbins), Cinema Gypsy (Laurence Fishburne and Helen Sugland) and Anthony Anderson. Anton Cropper directed the pilot. The series is produced by ABC Studios. ABC Studios is a part of Disney Television Studios, a collection of studios comprised of 20th Century Fox Television, ABC Studios and Fox 21 Television Studios.

Cast: Arica Himmel as Bow Johnson, Tika Sumpter as Alicia Johnson, Gary Cole as Harrison Johnson, Christina Anthony as Denise, Mykal-Michelle Harris as Santamonica Johnson and Ethan Childress as Johan Johnson.

“UNITED WE FALL”

“United We Fall” is a profoundly realistic family sitcom that follows the trials and tribulations of Jo (Christina Vidal) and Bill (Will Sasso), parents of two young kids, as they try to make it day to day as a functioning family. Bill’s very judgmental live-in mother and Jo’s large, Latinx Catholic family will never hesitate to let our couple know they’re seemingly screwing up, but Bill and Jo will always have each other’s backs, united against everyone – other parents, teachers, doctors, specialists, coaches, co-workers and, especially, their kids.

Julius “Goldy” Sharpe (“Making History”) wrote and executive produced the pilot. Seth Gordon and Julia Gunn are also executive producers. Mark Cendrowski directed the pilot, which was produced by Sony Pictures, Exhibit A Film and ABC Studios. ABC Studios is a part of Disney Television Studios, a collection of studios comprised of 20th Century Fox Television, ABC Studios and Fox 21 Television Studios.

Cast: Will Sasso as Bill Ryan, Christina Vidal as Jo Ryan, Jane Curtin as Sandy Ryan and Ella Grace Helton as Emily Ryan.

NEW ALTERNATIVE SERIES

“CARD SHARKS”

“Card Sharks” is a suspenseful game where a fortune can be won on the turn of a single playing card! The road to glory and riches begins with two players facing off in a head-to-head elimination race where the winning player claims a $10,000 cash prize and a chance to turn that amount into a life-changing payday. The anticipation builds as the winning contestant risks their prize on predicting seven final cards. The player leaves the game with whatever amount of money they have in their bank after their prediction and results are revealed with the flip of their seventh and final card.

Hosted by comedian and actor Joel McHale, “Card Sharks” is produced by Fremantle. Scott St. John is showrunner and executive producer, and Jack Martin and Jennifer Mullin are also executive producers.

“DON’T”

This comedic physical game follows one family of four who must work together throughout five mental and physical challenges with only one rule: Don’t. For example, “Don’t Slip,” “Don’t Forget,” “Don’t Laugh,” “Don’t Say It,” “Don’t Scream” and a slew of “Don’t” challenges you didn’t even know existed.

“FAMILY FOOD FIGHT”

Hosted by Ayesha Curry, a renowned restaurateur, founder of Homemade and a New York Times best-selling cookbook author, “Family Food Fight” will feature family teams dishing out their best culinary skills. Tapping into each family’s uniquely diverse cultural heritage, “Family Food Fight” takes homestyle cooking to a new level as teams square off with their most prized family recipes. With a mix of fast-paced cooking fun, good humor and healthy rivalries, everyone will cook their hearts out as they strive to impress a panel of culinary experts including host and judge, Curry, and world-renowned chefs, authors, restaurateurs and television personalities Cat Cora and Graham Elliot. Despite the many delectable dishes, only one family will claim the coveted title of America’s No. 1 Food Family and take home the $100,000 prize.

Produced by Endemol Shine North America, “Family Food Fight” was created by Endemol Shine Australia with Nine in Australia. Curry, Robert Flutie and Shab Azma are serving as executive producers through Yardie Girl Productions; and Sharon Levy, DJ Nurre, Georgie Hurford-Jones and Faye Stapleton are serving as executive producers for Endemol Shine North America.

“HOLEY MOLEY”

“Holey Moley,” a 10-episode mini-golf competition series, will showcase self-proclaimed mini-golf lovers from around the country as they compete head-to-head through an epic obstacle golf course. In each episode, 12 contestants will put their miniature golf—and physical—skills to the test and face off in never-before-seen challenges on a supersized miniature golf course.

“Holey Moley” is produced by Eureka Productions and Unanimous Media. Chris Culvenor, Paul Franklin, Wes Dening, Charles Wachter, Michael O’Sullivan, Jeron Smith, Erick Peyton and Stephen Curry serve as executive producers. Rob Riggle, Joe Tessitore and Jeannie Mai are featured as on-camera commentators and sideline correspondent, respectively. “Holey Moley” is an original format created by Chris Culvenor of Eureka Productions.

“KIDS SAY THE DARNDEST THINGS”

Hosted and executive produced by Tiffany Haddish. The hilarious reimagined format showcases a mix of in-studio segments and taped pieces from across the country, all set in front of a live studio audience. The series will capture Haddish’s unique voice and sensibility as she interacts with real kids—and their innocently entertaining points of view.

Produced by CBS Television Studios in association with Anvil 1893 Entertainment, Inc. and She Ready Productions, “Kids Say the Darndest Things” is executive produced by Eric Schotz and Tiffany Haddish.

“PRESS YOUR LUCK”

“Press Your Luck” is a game of wits, strategy and even higher stakes as contestants try to avoid the iconic and devilish WHAMMY for a chance at life-changing cash and prizes. During each game, three contestants compete against each other answering questions to earn spins on the Big Board. Contestants then use their spins to win cash and prizes while trying to avoid the WHAMMY, who could take all of their winnings and leave them with nothing. The winning contestant moves on to the All-New Bonus Round to face the WHAMMY in a final battle for the chance to win a fortune.

Produced by Fremantle, “Press Your Luck” is executive produced by Jennifer Mullin and John Quinn, who also serves as showrunner.